Method of and apparatus for purifying liquids



June 3U, 1925.

M. D. AVERY METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 19, 1923 2 Sheets-Shea?,

June 30, `1925.

M. D. AVERY METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING LIQUIDS Filed Jan, 19, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (E l @c CB NE/QED/ THZ) /71/5/99/ Patented .lune 30, 1925.

UNITED STATES MEREDITH D. AVERY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PURIFYING- LIQUIDS.

Application led January 19, 1923. Serial No. 613,648.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MEREDITH'D. AVERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Purifying Liquids, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method and means forsterilizing, clarifying and purifying li uids.

One o the objects of the invention is the provision of improved method and means to produce a hydrolyzed condition in the liquid under treatment, in which the mineral salts in the solution apparently attack the electrodes in the apparatus and form coagula, by the chemical effect of the gases and reagents roduce insoluble hydroxids upon the constituents of the liquids, and the provision of maximum surface for Contact of the disorganized atoms or ions in the liquids with the electrodes of the apparatus.

The present invention is an improvement of the apparatus and mode of operation disclosed in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,066,570 granted to me July 8, 1913, to which reference may be had for a more technical statement of the objects and capabilities of an apparatus of this character.

The invention disclosed in the present a plication relates more particularly to t e method employed in carrying the invention into effect and the difference in the arrangement of the anode and cathode plates and the means em loyed in circulating the liquid in the tanli and between the plates.

In the drawings Fig. l is a vertical central section showing one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar section taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is another embodiment of the invention showing a slight variation.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section of a faucet.

In all the views the same reference characters are employed to indicate corresponding parts.

The cylinder 5 is closed at one of its ends by the bottom 6 and is preferably of glass so that the action within the cylinder may be observed.

The device is provided with a removable cover 7 to which the removable elements of the apparatus are attached and with which they are removable.

A staff or tube 8 of insulating material, such as a phenolic condensation roduct, which is substantially unaffected y heat within the working temperature range of the device, or by the electro-chemical activity, is provided with an integral enlarged head 9, and is provided with a central bore, or liquid conduit 10, terminating within the staff at 11 and at 12.

A liquid inlet pipe 13 taps the bore 10 at 14 and the flow of liquid is controlled to the shut off valve or cock 15. The valve or cock 15 is connected to a fitting 17 which may be connected to the source of liquid supply under pressure.

Near the lower end of the staff 8 two opposite, radially extending, downwardly bent tubes 18 and 18', one of which is shown in section in Fig. 4, .and both of which are connected to the central bore 10 of the stack 8. These tubes are closed at their lower ends and are provided with lateral openings 19-19, which point in the same direction, to give the liquid that maybe admitted into the cylinder thereby a rotary motion.

The lower end of the stack 8 terminates at right angles to its axis, at 20, except that an integral tubular extension 21 terminates at 22.

A metallic disk 23 is placed over the .tubular extension 21 and the conducting rods 24-24. The disk is connected to rod 24 by a threaded nut 25. A tube 26 is then placed over rod 24 and a spacing block 27 is then placed over the tubes 21and 26 and a disk 28 is placed over tube 26 and rod 24 and nut 29 connects disk 28 to rod 24. Another spacing block 30 is then placed oven tube 26 and rod 24 and disk 31 .is then connected to rod 24 by nut 32.

Caps 33 and 34 are then placed over the nuts 29 and 32, respectively, and the respective rods.

Disks 23 .and 31 are connected in parallel to rod 24. They are jointly about as thick as disk 28, which is connected to rod 24. Rods 24 and 24 extend thru the stack into a cavity 35 and at their upper ends are each connected by nut 36 to a plate 37. Each plate carries a spring switch clip 38 for a terminal 39 of a removable connector plug 40.

From the foregoing description it is manifest that electric current will be supplied to the disks 23 and 3l and the disk 2S by rods E24-24 and the connector plug terminals and that disk 28 will be of one polarity, and disks 25M-31 of the opposite polarity when electrically energized.

It will be observed that" the openings 15)-19 of the tubes 18-18, respectively, are between adjacent disks so that the liquid passing into the container 5 thru these openings is given a rotary movement which causes the evolved gases from the electrolytic action of the current and electrolyte to be swept from surface contact with the disks and renders the entire surfaces of the disks available at all times, thus keeping the internal resistance of the device at all times at its lowest value, and at the same time the metallic ions are brought into more rapid contact with the electrically energized plates or disks.

In Fig. 3 I have shown an obvious modiiication in which a larger number of pairs of disks may be supported on the staff 8 and, instead of the central bore 10, a tube l0 having openings 19 may be arranged at one side of the disks and connected to cock l5 to admit liquid into the container and to give it a rotary motion.

After the treatment of a liquid by my process, and while or after the liquid is drawn out, the inside surface of the cylindrical container .5 becomes fogged I remove this fog by a spray of water or other liquid thru a pipe 44, which is connected to a cock 45 and which is also connected to the fitting 17. The pipe 44 has spaced openings 46 which spray the water on the inside surface of the cylindrical container.

The reaction of the gases and chemicals formed within the solution by action of the electric current produce the hydroxide which form the precipitate and to remove the solid matter it may then be passed thru a suitable strainer.

In the structure described, the plates or disks are preferably of like metal and, preferably, an alloy .of manganese and aluminum, so that there will be no local electric action thru the solution when the primary current is shut off or withdrawn.

In carrying my invention into effect, the electrolytic action depends upon What takes place at the cathodes. The actions evolved at the cathode, producing positive ions, upon losing their electric charge, as they do upon coming into contact with the cathodes, as a general proposition, decompose the water forming hydroxids, at the same time setting free the hydrogen. The hydroxids thus formed are brought into contact with the metallic salts producedat the anode, forming a coagulum which collects and removes the suspended impurities. At the cathodes the metals usually present in the water are not deposited thereon, but as soon as they have lost their charge, decompose the water and form an alkali. The alkali, during the flow of the water, is brought into contact with the injurious salt and products formed at the anode, and not being removed, they unite with each other to form a coagulum. The action of the anodes is such, that a compound of any one metal will be deposited from the solution, by any one succeeding it.

In illustration, aluminum will cause any zinc in solution to be deposited, there being always a corresponding amount of the metal which goes into solution in place of the metal deposited. Any of the metals, as anodes, will be disintegrated in presence of chloride, forming chlorids of the metal. These compounds will be partially hydrolyzed, forming hydroxide and partially decimposed by the alkali formed at the catho e.

With the presence of sulphates in the water the ultimate result will be the same as in the case of acid or normal carbonates, as in temporary hardness or in alkaline water. lVith the aluminum or certain others in the series of metals, in water containing carbonates, carbonates of the metals would be formed. These will be largely hydrolyzed by the water, setting free carbon dioxid, and precipitating the metals as hydroxids to form the coagulum. The free hydrogen which is given oi at the cathodes becomes entangled in this coagulum and decreases its density and overcomes its speciiic gravity, whereby it reaches thesurface of the liquid.

Chlorids in the water, such as river water and sewage, cause considerable chlorin to be disengaged, which serves to sterilize or disinfect the water and destroy organic life, or bacteria. If the anode is of such metal as would be attacked by the chlorin, at least a part of the chlorin would be consumed in dissolving the anode and the salt formed would be preliminary to the formation of the coagulum. In case the anode is of such character that it would not be attacked by the anions nascent oxygen is formed. The anions then decompose the water, setting free oxygen, which in the nascent state serves the same purpose as ozone, being a powerful agent in the oxidation of steril1zation of organic impurities and other deleterious matter in the water.

Aluminum precipitate is as harmless to the human system as any solid matter can be, and this is one reason why I prefer to use aluminum plates or disks or a metal compound or alloy of which aluminum forms a large part. The solid aluminum matter will precipitate out of the solution, while nearly all other metals chemically combine with the components of the liquid, thus leaving some of the metal in the liquid.

The body of the liquid may be given a rotary effect by the water as it enters the receptacle, due to the pressure to which the water may be subjected or the receptacle may first be filled with water or other liquid and given a rotary motion by air or other fluid under pressure which may be blown thru the liquid by the use of the apparatus herein disclosed. Although a greater or less number-of disks may be used as shown in Figs. 2er 3. the entire body of water will continue to rot-ate so long as the propelling fluid is entering the container.

After treatment the liquid .may be drawn off thru opening 47 or it may continuously flow out of opening 47 as it is being admitted in the manner described, thus providing a continuous process.

The faucet 47 with the tube l()n may be used in lieu of the. conduit l0, and in place of the inlet pipe 13. The faucet may also be usedfor draining the receptacle 5. As shown in Fig. 5, the receptacle will be drained as the liquid will pass from the receptacle thru the duct 49 into the duct 50 thru the port 5l of the faucet.

If a hose be attached to the threaded end 52 of the faucet and the faucet handle 53 be turned one-half revolution water will enter the duct 50, port 54, thru duct 55, into tube 10a, thence thru the tangential orifices 19, giving the water a whirling motion substantially as heretofore described.

The specific features of this faucet will be described and claimed in an application to be hereafter filed.' The tube 10a may be made much longer and may contain a larger number of apertures 19 than shown herein.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The method of electrically purifying liquids which includes rotating a confined body of liquid by effect of its velocity between oppositely polarized surfaces.

2. The method of electrically purifying liquid which includes rotating a confined body of liquid under pressure by projecting it by effect of its velocity between oppositely polarized plates and passing a current of electricity thru the liquid while rotating. A

3. The method of electrically purifying liquid which includes rotating a confined body of liquid under pressure by projecting it by effect of its velocity between oppositely polarized plates near the bottoni` of a container; passing a current of electricity thru the liquid while rotating and supplying more liquid to the plates while the container is being filled.

4. An apparatus of tln` character dcscribed comprising a cylindrical container; a series of parallel stationary plates in the container; means to introduce a liquid into the container' and to cause its rotation between the plates by effect of its Velocity, and electric conductors connected to alternate plates, respectively.

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising a container; a plurality of spaced plates in the container; means to introduce a liquid into the container and direct into a path to cause its rotation; means -to convey electricity to the plates and a support for the plates and for the current carrying means.

6. An apparatus of the character described comprising a container; a plurality of spaced plates in the container supported by a pendant means near their axes; a tube parallel with the axes of the plates near the periphery of the plates having lateral apertures spaced to lie in planes between the plates; means for admitting water under pressure into thc tube and means to drain the receptacle.

7. In an apparatus of the character dcscribed for producing electrolytic decomposition comprising a container; a plurality of spaced, fixed plates therein; means for producing a whirling motion of an electrolyte between the plates by directing it into a path to produce this effect and means for electrically energizing the plates.

8. An apparatus of the character described comprising a container; a plurality of spaced horizontally disposed electrically potentiated, round plates in the container; and means to rotate a liquid between the plates by directing the liquid under pressure in a path tangent to the perimeter of said plates.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribed my name.

MEREDITH D. AVERY. 

